Kenai council to consider golf fee hike

The price to play a round of golf in Kenai this summer will be a couple dollars more per person if proposed increases sought by the new course owner get the OK from the city council.

The increases in rates at the Kenai Golf Course require the approval of the Kenai City Council, which will consider the request tonight.

Weekday rates for nine holes would go from $12 to $14, and for 18 holes, the price would rise $4 to $24. Weekend rates would go up $2 to $16 for nine holes and $26 for 18.

New golf course owner, Gordon Griffin told City Manager Rick Koch in a letter, the fee hikes are needed because of “recent price increases in energy and other related business expenses.”

Griffin said he has added a family season rate. “A family of four or more can now play for a total of $975 for the entire season,” he said.

The city council also is expected to consider appropriating $190,140 in the Kenai Soccer Park capital project fund, and is expected to approve a contract with CIC, Inc. to build the new soccer park on the north side of town.

According to city Finance Director Larry Semmens, the appropriation includes a federal grant of $75,000 and $115,000 in in-kind services such as dirt moving already done by the city.

The $265,114 contract to CIC would cover the basic bid for two soccer fields and a parking lot plus building two additional soccer fields up to finish sand and grade level, without topsoil and seeding, which would come later.

The engineer’s estimate for the basic bid was $244,725 and CIC’s bid came in at $239,604. Others submitting bids included North Star Paving, Wolverine Supply and Foster Construction Inc.

Semmens said the new soccer fields will not be ready for play this year.

An ordinance is slated for introduction tonight allowing lessees of city property to purchase the leased property at fair market value within 12 months after completing developments set out in the lease’s development schedule.

The council also is scheduled to introduce an ordinance outlining boundaries of the city’s newly created Central Mixed Use Zone.

Semmens said the boundaries were recommended by the Planning Commission.